Cartridge implement



No. 6|9,273. Patented Feb. I4, `|899.

' C. V. BURCH.

CARTRIDGE IMPLEMENT.

(Application led Nov. 17, 1897.)

(N0 Model.)

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CARTRIDGE IMPLEM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,273, dated February 14, 1899.

Application filed November 17, 1897. Serial No. 658,790. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CLARANCE V. BUROH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Cartridge Implements; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to cartridge implements; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of the implement, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section on the line fr in Fig. 2 and drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line y y in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the bridge-plate.

A is the frame of the implement, provided with a socket d for receiving the shell, and a handle A' projecting from the said socket.

B is a guide on the frame, arranged axially in line with the socket c.

C is a hollow plunger which is slidable in the guide B.

D is an operating-lever provided with a forked end portion d, which is pivoted to the frame by thepin d'. The lever D is operatively connected with the plunger C by means of the connecting-links c and pins c.

The socket a for receiving the shell has an annular recess 2 around its upper edge and a contracting-chamber 3 at its lower part. A chamber for the projectile or ball is arranged below the chamber 3. The chamber 3 is smaller in diameter than the socket a', and the chamber 4f is smaller in diameter than the chamber 3 and has a shoulder 5 at its upper edge. The chamber 4 may be formed integral with the chamber 3; but it is preferably formed separate from it and screwed onto it for greater convenience in manufacture and repair.

and the cap E has a flange e, which is out away at e on one side, so that the head or ange of the shell may be slipped into engagement with the cap without removing the cap from the plunger.

F is the capper, the lower portion of which has a conical end f for securing the percussion-cap. The upper part f of the capper is screwed into the plunger C and is provided with a Weight F', which also serves as a knob for turning it.

G is the decapper, which is slidable longitudinally inside the capper. A spring gis arranged in a chamber g in the capper and bears against a shoulder h on the decapper.

I-I is a knob on the top of the decapper for operating it. A notched collar 71, is formed on the decapper, and 1.' is a pin on the inside of the capper. lVhen the decapper is forced down against the pressure of the spring g until the notched collar is below the said pin, the decapper can be locked to thecapper by turning it around until the pin is out of line with the notch in the said collar.

I is the bridgeplate,which is pivoted to the frame by the pins t". The bridge-plate has a hole through which the shell is slid, and when the bridge-plate is lowered it covers the recess 2 and prevents the shell from being forced to its lowest position in the socket.

J is the expander, consisting of a conical peg projecting from the frame.

lVhen a cartridge is fired, the neck of the shell is expanded by the force of the eXplosion. In order to contract the neck of the shell and lit it to be reloaded, the head or flange of the shell is slipped into the cap E. The cap is then screwed up, thereby forcing the said head or ange into the recess 7 and securing the shell to the plunger. The recess 7 centers the shell with respect to the plunger and the socket a. The lever D is then moved toward the handle A', so that the neck of the shell is forced into the contracting-chamber. The weightF by its momentum assists in driving the neck into the contracting-chamber, and the plunger is moved back and forth several times, if necessary, and until the head or flange on the shell strikes against the frame at the top of the socket. The annular recess 2 in the frame is for receiving the ange of IOO the cap when the head of the shell is forced against the frame.

The old percussion-cap is removed from the empty shell by removing the cap E and inserting the shell part way into the hollow plunger. The capper is screwed down as far as necessary and the decapper is pushed down and locked to the capper. The shell is guided by the thumb and finger of one hand and the plunger is forced down until the decapperpin projects through the hole in the head of the shell and ej ects the exploded cap from its chamber. The new percussion-cap is secured in its chamber in the shell by means of the capper. The decapper is unlocked from the capper and is held in its raised position by the spring g. The bridge-plate being lowered over the socket the shell is slipped through the bridge-plate until its head rests on it. The plunger is then depressed until the conical end f of the capper presses on the percussion-cap and secures it in its socket.

The mouth of the shell is expanded by forcing it onto the expander, so that a new projectile or ball can be inserted in it. When the new charge of powder and the new ball have been placed in the shell, the cartridge is then secured to the plunger as in proceeding to contract the neck of the shell, and the cartridge is then forced into the socket, so that the ball is pressed back to. its final position in the neck and the expanded mouth is contracted upon it. The capper is screwed up out of the way before the shell is secured to the plunger by means of the cap E in proceeding to contract the neck of the shell.

What I claim isl. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame provided with a conical contracting-chamber, and a guide arranged in line with the said chamber; of a non-revoluble plunger slidable longitudinally in the said guide and provided with a clamp for engaging with the head of a shell; and lever mechanism for reciprocating the said plunger and forcing the open end portion of the said shell into the said chamber, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame provided with a conical contracting-chamber, and a guide arranged in line with the said chamber; of a plunger slidable longitudinally in the said guide and provided with a clamp for engaging with the head of a shell, an operating-lever provided with a forked end portion which straddles the said guide and is pivoted to the said frame, and links pivoted to the plunger and to the forked end portion of the said lever, substantially as set forth.

3. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame provided with a conical contracting-chamber, and a removable chamber for the ball screwed to the. smaller end portion of the said chamber; of a reciprocatory non-revoluble plunger carried by the said frame and provided with a clamp for engaging with the head of a cartridge, substantially as set forth.

4. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame provided with a socket for the shell, a conical contracting-chamber below the said socket, and an annular recess around the top of the said socket; of a slidable plunger provided with a cap for clamping the head of the shell, said cap entering the said recess when the shell is pressed to its lowest position in the said socket, substantially as set forth.

5. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame provided with a socket for the shell, of a bridge-plate pivoted to the frame and provided with an opening for the shell, and a slidable capping device operating to secure the percussion-cap when the shell is supported by the said bridge-plate, substantially as set forth.

6. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame, and a hollow plunger for receiving the shell, said plunger being slidable in the said frame; of a decapper supported in the said plunger and operating to remove the percussion-cap, substantially as set forth.

'7. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame, provided with a socket for the shell, of a slidable plunger having a circular recess in its lower end, said recess fitting closely around the head of the shell, and a vcap engaging with the said plunger and operating to press the head of the shell into the said recess and to center the shell and hold it in alinement with the said socket, substantially as set forth.

8. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a stationary guide, and a non-revoluble plunger slidable in the said guide and having a circular recess in one end portion which fits closely around the head of the shell, of a cap screwed onto the said end portion and provided with a flange which presses the head of the shell into the said recess and thereby centers the shell, said Iiange having an opening on one side which permits the head of the shell to be inserted when the cap is partly unscrewed from the plunger, substantially as set forth.

9. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a frame, and a plunger slidable therein; of a capping device screwed into the said plunger, a decapping device slidable in the said capping device, and means for locking the two said devices together', substantially as set forth.

lO. In a cartridge implement, the combination, with a plunger, of a capping device screwed into the said plunger and provided with a locking-pin, a decapping device slidable in the said capping device and provided with a notched collar for engaging with the said pin, and a spring pressing back the dccapping device when unlocked from the said pin, substantially as set forth.

1l. A cartridge implement, comprising a IOO frame provided with a contracting-chamber In testimony whereof I affix my signature and a mouth-expanding cone, a plunger slidin presence of two witnesses. able 1n therframe and provided with means v for clamping the shell, a bridge-piece pivoted CLARANCE V' BURCH' 5 to the frame, and capping and decapping delVituesses:

vices longitudinally adjustable in the said T. W. MOORHEAD,

plunger, substantially as set forth. l-IUGH LESLIE, J r. 

